Tape splicer



G. L. VANO TAPE SPLICER April 23, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1956 INVENTOR. GERALD VANQ TTORNEYS April 23, 1957 v o 2,789,620

7 TAPE SPLICER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 6, 1.956

.ZE'W g- 6 INVENTOR.

'1 G-EQALD 5. VANQ ATTORNEYS TAPE SPLICER Gerald L. Vano, Brockton, Mass. Application July 6, 1956, Serial No. 596,193 6 Claims. (Cl. 154-423) The present invention relates generally to devices for splicing tape, and more particularly has reference to a device of this nature adapted particularly for splicing adjacent sections of magnetic recording tape, although the splicer is not necessarily restricted to this particular use.

The main object ofthe present invention is to provide a generally improved splicer which will make as automatic as possible the operation of splicing adjacent tape sections.

Among more specific objects of the invention are the following:

To provide a fast splicer;

To splice the tape efficiently, neatly, and permanently, in a manner designed to reduce to a minimum splice noise when the tape is later used;

To effect the splicing responsive to no more than positioning of the pieces to be spliced upon the base of the device, positioning of a length of splicing tape over said pieces, and depression of a plunger;

To assure to the maximum extent proper alignment of the spliced portions;

To permit manufacture of the splicer at relatively low cost, considering the benefits to be obtained from the use thereof;

To assure trouble-free operation on each instance of use; and

To provide for automatic shifting of the excess portions of the tape out of the path of the splicing or connecting strip, responsive to depression of the plunger.

Other objects will appear from the following description the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a splicer formed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified construction;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale, substantially on line 6--6 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view on the same scale as Figure 6, taken on line 7--7 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the splicer includes a base generally designated 10 formed as an elongated, open-ended, inverted channel having a flat tape support portion or table 12 integral along its opposite longitudinal edges with downwardly divergent side walls 14, 16. For its full length, table 12 has its midwidth portion ofiset downwardly as at 18 to provide a shallow, straight, open-ended tape channel 20 the width of which is slightly greater than the tape sections A, B to be spliced.

Rigid with and projecting outwardly from wall 16 of the base are bearing plates 21 the confronting faces of which are formed with projections 22 adapted to extend into the core of a roll 24 of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 26, that is to be used as the connecting means for splicing together the tape sections A, B.

; nited States Patent'O 2,789,620 Patented Apr. 23, 1957 At the side of the channel adjacent the roll 24 there are provided vertically disposed guide bars 28, constituting parts of a combination die and knife assembly generally designated at 29. Said assembly includes a pair of horizontally disposed, vertically spaced lower and upper plates 30, 32, the plates 30 having end openings receiving the bars 28. The bars 28 are fixedly secured within the openings of the plate 30, and at their upper extremities are similarly fixedly secured in end openings of the top plate 32. Thus, the plates 30, 32 and bars 28 move as a single unit, between the full and dotted line positions thereof shown in Figure 3.

Formed in the top plate 32 medially between opposite ends thereof is an opening in which is slidable a plunger stem 34. This, as shown in Figure 2, is threaded at its lower end, for engagement in the complementarily threaded upwardly opening recess of a die block 36 of rectangular formation. Secured to the upper end of the stem 34 is a knob 38 shaped to receive the heel of ones hand, for depressing the stem 34 against the restraint of a coil spring 40 circumposed about stem 34 between knob 38 and top plate 32.

A pair of vertically disposed guide sleeves 44 is pro vided, below table 12, these being integrally or otherwise fixedly mounted upon brackets 42 projecting inwardly from the wall 16. The brackets 42 are formed by striking inwardly portions of the wall 16, but could be otherwise formed if desired. Within the sleeve 44 coiled, compression springs 46 are positioned, with the brackets 42 closing the sleeve at their lower ends to provide seats for the springs. At their upper ends, the springs bear against the lower extremities of the rods 28, which extend into the upper ends of the guide sleeves 44. Thus, on depression of the plates 30, 32 and rods 28, the springs 46 will resist, yieldably, the downward movement of these components, and serve to return the components to their normal, upper position shown in Figure 3.

Formed centrally in the lower plate 30 is a rectangular opening 48 shaped to permit passage of the die block 36 therethrough. Secured to one end of the lower plate 30 is a leaf spring 50, inclining downwardly, outwardly from the adjacent end of the plate 38 and serving the purpose of pushing away the removed, excess portion of the tape B. Illustrated is a leaf spring anchored by a screw or the like at its upper end to the plate 30. However, it might be desired, and would in fact be more efiicient, to employ a length of spring wire having a straight portion extending in the same inclined path as the leaf spring 50, and having at its upper end a coil passed about a pin carried by the plate 30, with the coil merging into a short finger bearing against the top surface of the plate 50. This, of course, would be a mere matter of design as to which type of spring would be more efficient, and accordingly it has not been believed necessary to provide a separate illustration of the coiled spring wire that might be used in place of the leaf spring 50.

To provide a firmer grip on the excess portion of the tape section B, the spring 50 at its lower end may be serrated or otherwise roughened as at 52 (see Figure 1).

To provide a guide surface for the tape section B, along which surface the excess portion may be removed, there is provided a wide spring element 54, inclined slightly from the horizontal and having a rolled end 56 passed about a pin 58 projecting transversely of and above channel 20 from a vertically extending bracket 60 secured to the base 10.

The assembly 29 also includes a knife means, and to accommodate the knife there is formed, in the table 12, an elongated, straight, narrow slot 62 thewidth of which is just suflicient to permit the slot to receive a knife blade 64 having an inclined, sharpened bottom cutting edge to provide a'shearing actionupon the tape sections A, B. Knife 64 and slot 62 lie obliquely of channel 20, with the knife 64 having at its inner end a vertical extension 66 fixedly secured to one of the bars 28.

In use of the tape splicer, as a first step one positions the left and right hand pieces or sections A, B of the tape, in the channel 20. The pieces are overlapped as shown in Figure 3, with the extremity of piece B overlying the inclined spring leaf 54-and the extremity of piece A extending to the right hand end of the groove 26 as shown in Figure 3.

The roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 26 is then rotated sufficiently to permit the end of the pressuresensitive tape to overlie the lower plate 30 of the die and plunger assembly 29, in position over the large, rectangular opening '48.

Downward pressure is now exerted on the knob 38. Spring 40 is stronger than the combined strengths of the springs 46 and accordingly the guide bars 28 will move downwardly, compressing springs 46 with the die block 36 still engaged against the upper plate 32.

This will cause the knife 64 to be shifted downwardly through slot 62, cutting the recording tape at an angle of 60 degrees. The knife moves fully through the tape as shown by the dotted line position of Figure 3. Continued downward movement of the plunger assembly 29 will now result in depression of the die blocks 36, with spring 40 compressing and the die block will thus cut, on the edges of the opening 48, a square piece of splicing tape 26. This will be shifted downwardly and will be pressed by the die block 36 against the lapping pieces of recording tape A, B, in position over the cut made in said pieces by the knife. The recording tape will thus be spliced. As the lower plate 30 moves downwardly, spring 50 will bear against the cut-off portion of piece B as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 3, and will push the same to the left in Figure 3 immediately after the knife has cut through the recording tape sections. As a result, when the pressure sensitive tape 26 engages the lapping sections, the cut-off piece of section B will have been pushed out of the way.

With respect to the cutting of the square piece of tape 26, this will fall onto the recording tape which has already been cut, and which will be approximately one-sixth of an inch below the splicing tape when the splicing tape is ready to be cut. Thus, good alignment of the splice is assured.

In the modified form shown in Figures 5-7, a base generally designated 66 includes a fiat, narrow, table 68 integral along its opposite longitudinal edges withdepending, downwardly diverging side walls '70. Formed in the top surface of the table is a shallow, tape-receiving groove 72 extending from end to end of the table in the same manner as the groove 21) of the first form.

Adjacent one end of the groove, pivot brackets '74 are cast or otherwise integrally formed upon the table surface. Pivoted at one end upon the brackets for up-anddown swinging movement in a plane normal to the length of the groove 72 is a hold-down arm 76 having a button or handle 78. Arm 76 is integrally formed intermediate its ends with a depending, rectangular projection or foot 80 seating in the groove 72.

integrally formed with the back wall of the base are vertically disposed, spaced bearing plates '82, having confronting projections 84 which are adapted to extend into the core of the roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape.

On the underside of table 63, an elongated rib 86 is cast or otherwise formed, and has longitudinally spaced, upwardly opening sockets 38 threaded to receive the threaded lower ends of vertically disposed guide posts 90.

Compression coil springs 92, circumposed about posts 9i, bear at their lower ends against the bottom walls of said springs bear against the underside 'of a horizontal,

fiat, rectangular lower die block guide plate 96 slidably mounted on posts 90.

Spacer sleeves 98, receiving posts 90, are interposed between plate 96 and an upper die block guide plate 100 also sliding on posts 90. Spacer sleeves 162 are interposed between upper plate 100 and a top plate 104. Plate 104 is also slidably mounted on posts 96 and has a center opening 106 in which slides a plunger 108 having at its upper end a knob 110. Circumposed about plunger 108 and held under compression between plate 104 and knob 110 is a compression coil spring 111. Rigid with the lower end of plunger 108 is a die block 112 normally, having its lower portion snugly, slidably positioned in a rectangular opening 114 of plate 100. A similar opening 116 in plate 96 is aligned with opening 114.

Fixedly secured to the underside of plate 96 is the upwardly projecting portion 118 of a .knife 120 movable downwardly through a slot 122 disposed obliquely to the length of and extending fully across the shallow groove 72 of the table. I v

A spring 124, analogous to spring 50 of the first form, is fixedly secured to plate 96 and overlies a wide spring element 126 having a sleeve-receiving support pin 128 mounted upon a bracket 130.

The second form has the same functional characteristics as the first, in that on downward pressure being exerted against knob 110, initially the plunger 108, and the three plates 96, 100, 104 will move downwardly as a unit.

When they so move, springs 92 will compress. Spring 111, however, is stronger than the combined strength of springs 92 and will initially compress.

This causes knife 120 to move downwardly through slot 122. Thereafter on further downward pressure exerted against knob 110 with springs 92 substantially fully compressed, spring 111 will compress. Plates 96, 100, 104 will at this time no longer be moving downwardly. Die block 112 will accordingly move downwardly through guide openings 114, 116 to exert the same function upon the lapping pieces of tape A, B as the die block 36 of the first form, that is, a square piece of splicing tape 26 will be cut and will be pressed against the lapping pieces of recording tape.

The construction of Figures 5-7 has particular adaptability in insuring that the die block will be maintained at all times accurately positioned with respect to the remaining components of the device. This is due to the fact that in all'stages of movement of thedie block relative to the three horizontal plates, it will be disposed in one or both of the openings 114, 116. It will move into opening 116 while it is still in opening 114. Thereafter, on upward movement of the die block, it will move into opening 114 while still guided within opening 116.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof de scribed above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Atape splicer comprising: a base having a channel I for supporting in overlapped relation within the channel a pair of tape sections to be spliced, the base having a slot extending across the channel; means on the base to support a length of splicing tape; and a depressible plunger and die assembly mounted on the base above the channel, including a knife disposed to shift through the slot to cut through the overlapping sections, a plate above the knife for supporting the splicing tape, said plate having an opening, a die block normally positioned above the plate and shiftable through said opening to cut a piece from the splicing tape and press said piece against the sections following cutting of the sections by the knife, and resilient, yielding means carried by said plate and bearing against one of the tape sections on depression of said assembly to remove from the path of the die block the excess cut from said one section by the knife.

2. A tape splicer comprising: a base having a channel for supporting in overlapped relation within the channel a pair of tape sections to be spliced, the base having a slot extending across the channel; means on the base to support a length of splicing tape; and a depressible plunger and die assembly comprising guide rods mounted in the base for vertical sliding movement, a knife secured to one of the guide rods and disposed to shift through the slot on downward movement of the guide rods to cut through the overlapping sections, a plate secured to the guide rods above the knife for supporting the splicing tape, said plate having an opening, a die block normally positioned above the plate and shiftable through said opening to cut a piece from the splicing tape and press said piece against the sections following cutting of the sections by the knife, and resilient, yielding means carried by said plate and bearing against one of the sections on depression of the guide rods, to remove from the path of the guide block the excess cut from said one section by the knife.

3. A tape splicer comprising: a base having a channel for supporting in overlapped relation within the channel a pair of tape sections to be spliced, the base having a slot extending across the channel; means on the base to support a length of splicing tape; and a depressible plunger and die assembly comprising guide rods mounted in the base for vertical sliding movement, a knife secured to one of the guide rods and disposed to shift through the slot on downward movement of the guide rods to cut through the overlapping sections, a plate secured to the guide rods above the knife for supporting the splicing tape, said plate having an opening, a die block normally positioned above the plate and shiftable through said opening to cut a piece from the splicing tape and press said piece against the sections following cutting of the sections by the knife, resilient, yielding means carried by said plate and bearing against one of the sections on depression of the guide rods, to remove from the path of the guide block the excess cut from said one section by the knife, and springs interposed between the guide rods and base tensioned to normally bias the guide rods upwardly.

4. A tape splicer comprising: a base having a channel for supporting in overlapped relation within the channel a pair of tape sections to be spliced, the base having a slot extending across the channel; means on the base to support a length of splicing tape; and a depressible plunger and die assembly comprising guide rods mounted in the base for vertical sliding movement, a knife secured to one of the guide rods and disposed to shift through the slot on downward movement of the guide rods to cut through the overlapping sections, a lower plate secured to the guide rods above the knife for supporting the splicing tape, said plate having an opening, an upper plate secured to the guide rods above the lower plate, a plunger stern vertically slidable in the upper plate, a secured to said stem and normally positioned above the lower plate, said die block being shiftable through said opening on depression of the stem to cut a piece from the splicing tape and press said piece against sections following cutting of the sections by the knife, resilient, yielding means carried by said lower plate and bearing against one of the tape sections on depression of the guide rods, to remove from the path of the guide block die block the excess cut from said one section by the knife, and springs interposed between the guide rods and base tensioned to normally bias the guide rods upwardly.

5. A tape splicer comrising: a base having a channel for supporting in overlapped relation within the channel a pair of tape sections to be spliced, the base having a slot extending across the channel; means on the base to support a length of splicing tape; and a depressible plunger and die assembly comprising guide rods mounted in the base for vertical sliding movement, a knife secured to one of the guide rods and disposed to shift through the slot on downward movement of the guide rods to cut through the overlapping sections, a lower plate secured to the guide rods above the knife for supporting the splicing tape, said plate having an opening, an upper plate secured to the guide rods above the lower plate, a plunger stem vertically slidable in the upper plate, a die block secured to said stem and normally positioned above the lower plate, said die block being shiftable through said opening on depression of the stem to cut a piece from the splicing tape and press said piece against sections following cutting of the sections by the knife, resilient, yielding means carried by said lower plate and bearing against one of the tape sections on depression of the guide rods, to remove from the path of the guide block the excess cut from said one section by the knife, springs interposed between the guide rods and base tensioned to normally bias the guide rods upwardly, and a spring held under compression between the plunger stem and upper plate and tensioned to normally bias the plunger stem upwardly, the last named spring being of greater strength than the combined strengths of the springs interposed between the guide rods and base, thus to effect, initially, conjoint downward movement of the plunger stem, die block, upper and lower plates, and knife followed by downward movement of the plunger stem and guide block relative to said plates and knife.

6. A tape splicer comprising: a base having a channel for supporting in overlapped relation within the channel a pair of tape sections to be spliced, the base having a slot extending across the channel; means on the base to support a length of splicing tape; and a depressible plunger and die assembly mounted on the base above the channel, including a knife disposed to shift through the slot to cut through the overlapping sections, a plate above the knife for supporting the splicing tape, said plate having an opening, a die block normally positioned above the plate and shiftable through said opening to cut a piece from the splicing tape and press said piece against the sections following cutting of the sections by the knife, a second plate disposed above the first named plate and having an opening aligned with that of the first named plate for guiding the die block in cooperation with the first named plate, a third plate overlying the second named plate, said plates being disposed above the base for conjoint movement toward and away from the base, a plunger connected to the die block and sliding in the third named plate, spring means interposed between the first named plate and the base and normally holding the several plates in position spaced upwardly from the base, and second spring means interposed between the plunger and the third named plate and having a strength greater than that of the first spring means whereby, on initial downward pressure exerted against the plunger, the plunger, die block, and the several plates will move downwardly to shift the kn'fe through the slot, with further downward pressure being adapted to compress the second named spring means and shift the die block downwardly through the openings of the first and second named plates.

2,660,221 Simpson Nov. 24, 1953 

